Card feed interruption



Oct. 3, 1961 w. J. WHEELER CARD FEED INTERRUPTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 50, 1958 26 24 12 mnmmnxmnmmmh FIG.

INVENTOP WENDELL J. WHEELER Oct. 3, 1961 w. JJWHEELER CARD FEEDINTERRUPTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1958 Oct. 3, 1961 w. J.WHEELER 50 CARD FEED INTERRUPTION Filed Dec. 30, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3VACUUM PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE PRESSURE GAUGE PRESSURE FIG. 5

REGULATING VALVE FIG. 4 v

knives to interrupt the feeding of cards.

bottom first.

United States Patent 3,002,750 CARD FEED INTERRUPTION Wendell J.Wheeler, Endwell, N.Y., assignor to International Business MachinesCorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 30,1958, Ser. No. 786,665 4 Claims. or. 271--56) passed through a throatingdevice into a set of feed rolls in the card transport section.Additional feed rolls, then transport the cards throughout the machinewhere various operations are performed. These operations may be in thenature of sorting, collating or punching, etc.

Cards can be loaded in the hopperby hand or loaded substantiallyautomatically by an additional continuously loading hopper, commonlyreferred to as a file feed. This file feed is generally placed above thehopper and the cards are then preloaded in the hopper and positionedabove a card weight. The card weigh-t is removed when a suflicientnumber of cards are in the hopper to permit cards to be picked. Duringthe period of time that the picker knives pick the bottom-most cards anddeliver them into the first feed rolls, it is common practice to utilizeelevators positioned adjacent the picker knife or Elevators are smalllifters adapted to lift the bottom-most cards above the path of travelof the picking surface on the picker knife or knives. This lifting ofthe cards interrupts card feeding.

When the cards are initially loaded into an empty hopper, there is atendency for the first or the second This condior the third card todrift into-the throat. tion is brought about by the hopper being tiltedat a substantial angle, The tilt is utilized to aid the picker knife inremoving the bottom-most card when a substantial number of cards are inthe hopper. When the first cards pass from the file feed into the hopperthey do so at an angle to the hopper with the leading edge hitting theIf one of the first cards moves into the throat, the instant the pickerknife starts to feed cards, it will engage the next card that overlapsthe trailing edge of the card already in the throat. Since the threat isnot designed to separate or accommodate two cards, a

jam results.

Furthermore, a jam may occur in the card transport section, or, if thecard feed is used in connection with a card reader, the stacker forreceiving the cards after they are read may become full. When either ofthese situations occurs, the feeding of cards must be stoppedimmediately. Therefore, the elevators are actuated to interrupt cardfeeding by raising the deck above the feed knives. above the pickerknife, the deck of cards are placed. at a substantially greater anglethan mentioned above. The bottom-most cards then have a tendency toslide into the throat. Also, the static friction between the cards andthe scrubbing action of one card against another as it passes out of thehopper cause the cards to drift into the throat when attempting to stopcard feeding at high speeds. The higher the speed of card delivery, thegreater the number of cards that can become involved in the Jam.

When the elevators raise the deck of cards ice Various types of deviceshave been employed at the throat, which devices extend into the path ofthe card so as to abut the leading edge of the card. Generally thesedevices have been for aligning the card before being picked by thepicker knife and for assisting in accurately positioning the card in thehopper. Generally these devices are operated so that they take place ineach card cycle, i.e., before delivering each card to the first feedrolls. Furthermore, the timing is such that they generally align thecard while the picker knife is either on its return stroke or while itis on its forward stroke, but not while it could engage the trailingedge of the card. With these prior arrangements, it is still possiblefor the cards to drift into the throat since in various portions of thecycle these devices do not provide means that extend into the path ofthe cards being fed.

An attempt was made to combine the drive for an elevator and throatbarrier arrangement with an existing air pump. A vacuum assist feedprovides such a source although other vacuum sources would also suffice.A vacuum assist feed is one in which vacuum is applied at the criticalpicking and throat areas to help pull the card down onto the pickingknife surface and onto the throat block so as to pass through the throatgap. In attempting to utilize the air pump, which develops the vacuum,for also driving the elevators and throat barriers, it was found thatthe average pressure Was generally not suflicient to operate a pistonand cylinder arrangement to actuate the elevators and throat barriers.Also, a pistoncylinder arrangement contains so much internal frictionthat it did not work fast enough for the speeds at which the cards werebeing fed. The mass was just too great to be able to be operatedquickly.

It istherefore an object of this invention to provide a throat barrierarrangement for a card feed system to prevent cards drifting into thethroat during loading of an empty hopper, or, when elevators areactuated upwardly, to lift the deck of cards in the hopper above thepicker knives.

It is another object of this invention to provide an arrangement forinterrupting the feeding of cards in a card feeding machine, whichmachine has a source of vacuum, and to utilize the exhaust pressure ofthe pump which creates the vacuum for supplying the energy for driving.the throat barriers and elevators.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a throat barrierand elevator arrangement for interrupting card feeding by actuating thethroat barrier and elevator arrangement in response to a power source.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an elevatorarrangement in combination. with a file feed to eliminate the cardweight normally used when loading a hopper, the elevator arrangementpreventing the picker knife from inadvertently striking the cards beingloaded.

Briefly stated and in accordance with one aspect of the invention, anelevator and throat barrier arrangement are provided in combination witha card feed wherein the elevators interrupt card feeding by lifting thecards above the picker knives whenever cards are loaded into an emptyhopper, or, when a jam occurs in the card transport section; and thethroat barriers are provided to prevent cards from drifting into thethroat gap and thereby preventing the picker knife from picking thewrong card when the correct instant arrives for card feeding.

Also, if an air pump is available, a diaphragm is provided that isoperated from the exhaust pressure from the pump and also the vacuumfrom the pump so as to drive both the throat barriers and elevators.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in thefollowingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of theinvention and the best mode,

which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a business machine such as asorter.

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of a-card feed system showing'the positionof theelevators and throat barriers.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the elevators andthroat barriers-being drivenoff the same drive.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the elevators and throat barriers incombination with a vacuum pump, which pump supplies vacuum at thepickerknives and throat.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View showing the details of a diaphragm usedin connection with the embodiment of the invention. 7

Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view is shown of a sorter ltlto whichthe inventioncan beapplied. Although this invention will be described inconnection with a sorter, it is understood and intended thatthe'invention'be applied to other types of business machines, forexample, a collator or punch. A hopper is shown at 12 which containsadeck of cards 14 which are adapted to be singly removed from the hopperby a picker knife 16and passed over a throat block 17 which defines athroat with the forward portion of the hopper 12. Feed rolls are shownat 18 through which the cards are fed. Sensing means-20 are alsoprovided for sensing the cards so as to operate the appropriate magnet22, and, in turn chute blade 24, to deflect the cards through theappropriate additional feed rolls 26 into the proper pocket 28. In thismanner, cards may be sorted according to the information read by thesensing means 20 which is connected by a suitable electrical system foroperating the proper magnet and chute blade to deflect the card into itsappropriate pocket28.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 where the hopper 12 is shown in greaterdetail and is constructed in the same manner as other prior hoppers. Thehopper contains the hopper front wall 34, hopper side walls 36 (only oneshown), and hopper post 38 (only one of which is shown in position).These define the hopper and are slightly larger than the cards so thatthey can be joggled to avoid card jams. Cutout portions 40 are providedin the hopper front wall to provide clearance for card guide rolls 41and for the first feed rolls 18. A throat knife blade 42 is shown fixedto the front wall and terminates into a knife edge 43 to form a throatfor the throat block 17. The-front wall of the hopper is bent so as toform the upper portion 44 for a throat chute which provides guidance forthe card into a card transport section. In order tohelp supportthe deckof cards, a bed'plate 46 is provided. The bed plate is concave in thedirection shown at 48 and is convex in the direction shown at 50. Thedetails of the bed plate are covered in copending application Serial No.783,922, filedDecember 30, 1958, and assigned to the assignee of thisapplication, the detailsof which form no part of this invention.

In order to pull the cards down onto the throat block and tolocate'theleading edge of the card in the gap defined by the throat block 17 andthroat knife edge 43-, the throat block 17 is provided with slots 54 forapplying a-vacuum to the cards.

In order to remove the bottom-most card from the deck of cards in thehopper, the picker knife is oscillated in cutout portions 56 in thebed'plate 46. Thecard is pulled down onto the picker knife by vacuumthrough slots 58. The details of the manner in which the vacuum isapplied to the card, and the details of the vacuum system may be foundin copending application Serial No. 783,921, filed December 30, 1958,and assigned to the same assignee as this application. The details ofthatsystem form no part of this invention.

In order to prevent the picker knife from engaging. the trailing edge ofthe card, elevator arms are provided as shown at 60 adjacenteach sideof'the picker knives (FIG.

3). Th9 elevators 6tlhave a fiat portion 62 for engaging 4 the cards.Each elevator arm '60 isfixed to a shaft'64. Also fixed to the shaft 64isa link 66 which is adapted to rotate the shaft 64 and, of course, inturn actuate the arms 60. The link 66 is in turn pivotally connected toa clevis 68 which is in turn mounted on the rod 70.

In order to prevent the drifting of cards through the throat 43, weprovide throat barriers 72 mounted on opposite sides of the throat block52 best seen in FIG. 4. Referring again to FIG. 3 the throat barrier 72'is mounted on a pin 74. The pin 74' is'slidably mounted in a bushingor the like 76 which forms an abutment for a collar 78 fixed to the pin74. The other end of the pin 74 is slidably mounted in a slot 80positioned in a platform 81 positioned on the link arm 82. The pin" 74is driven upwardly by a spring 79 positioned between the collar 78 andthe platforr'n 81-. In order to drive the pin in the other direction,a-pin' 84 shown-positioned on'the underside of theplatform 81 from the sring 78. Therefore, when the arm 82 is actuatedupwar'dly;the'platfoi m81 engages the spring 79'to drive the collar 78 and pin 74 upwardly soas to urge the throat barrierlupwardly. The bushing 76 forms an abutmentfor the upwardmevement of the pin and barrier 72'. However, if' acard isalready in the throat 43, when the throat barrier is actuated, thespring 79 is sufliciently flexibleto be compressed so that thethroatbarrierwill not puncture the card. When the arm 82 is actuated toretr-act the barrier, the platform 81 engages the pin 84 to pull the pin74 and throat barrier 72 downwardly.

In order that the pin 74 and throat barrier 72' beactuated-simultaneously' with the elevator arms 66, linkage means areprovided to connect the arm 82 to the shaft 84. Such a linkage meanscan-be in the formof a sector gear arrangement for driving the shaft 84wherein one sector 86 is fixed to the shaft 64 and the mating sector 88is fixed to the shaft 84. Of course, other linkage arrangements could beused just as effectively. Therefore, whenever the link 66 is actuated,the shaft 64Will be actuated and in turn operate both the elevator-arm60 and the sectors' 86 and 88 tosimulta'neously drive the throat barrier72. V

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the rod 70 is' slidably mounted in ahousing 90. The housing is constructed of two identical cases eachhaving a cavity 92. Mounted inside of the cavity 92 is a diaphragm 94which is" held in place by clamping between the two casings Thediaphragm'must not be too flexible yet not too" stifil In order toaccomplish both purposes, the diaphragm is constructed of a rubberportion clamped between the casings 90. Washers 98 are clamped toboths'ides' of the rubber diaphragm and are. secured to the shaft or rod70. This construction forms a rubber sandwich. Ports 100 and 102 areprovided to permit the entrance of air under pressure into one or theother side of the diaphragm, or extraction therefrom. In order toactuate the diaphragm, an airp'u'mp10'6, which normally supplies avacuum to the ports 58 in the picker knife. and the ports54'inthe'throat block,.is utilized. Thevacuum is created by thepump'106' being driven by a motor 104. The vacuum pump 106"is'-providedwith a vacuum port 108 and a pressure port 110. The vacuumpump canb'e ofany well-known type such as an impeller" or piston and cylinder type.Normally vacuum is supplied to'the slots 54 and 58 through conduit 1'12extending from the vacuum port 108 of the pump 106. The pressure port110' of the pump 106 is connected to the conduit 114 the diaphragm 94,the four-way valve 116 is positioned so that the pressure port 110' ofthe pump is exposed to one side of the diaphragm at 102 so as to provideair under pressure, and at the same time the vacuum from the vacuum port108 of the pump 106 is applied to the other side of the diaphragm at 100so as to provide maximum pressure differential. For example, the exhaustpressure of the pump is normally p.s.i., and the vacuum has been foundto be approximately six inches of mercury. Six inches of mercury isapproximately 3 p.s.i. Therefore, the total amount of force exerted onthe diaphragm is 13 p.s.i. This arrangement takes full advantage of thepressure and vacuum available for operating the linkages 64, 66, 82,etc., which will be referred to as the drive means.

Whenever it is desired to move the diaphragm in the opposite directionthe four-Way valve is turned so that vacuum port 108 of the pump 106 isconnected through conduit 112, 113 to the conduit or opening 102, andthe pressure port 110 of the pump 106 is connected through conduit 114to the conduit or opening 100. This then forces the diaphragm in theopposite direction.

Operation In order to start the machine, a large number of cards areinserted in the file feed. In order to get the cards from the file feedinto the hopper and to start the machine operating, the normal switchesare energized which start the motor 104 and the mechanism including theshaft 118 for oscillating the picker knife 16. In order to prevent cardsfeeding from the hopper, the four-way valve 116 is in a de-energizedposition so that the pressure port 110 is connected to the port 102 (asshown by arrows 120) and the vacuum port 108 is connected to the port100 (as shown by arrows 122). Also, simultaneously the two-Way valve 115is positioned to cut off the vacuum being applied at the throat blockand picker knife ports 54, 58. This actuates the diaphragm so as toactuate the arms 60 and platform 62 above the level of the picking knifesurface, and actuates the throat barrier 72 above the level of thethroat block or throat gap 43. The cards are held above the picker knifeand throat gap until the file feed has delivered a suflicient number ofcards to the hopper to start the machine feeding into the card transportsection. The valve 116 is then energized so that the pressure from theport 110 and the vacuum from the port 108 are reversed on the diaphragmto thereby restore the elevators 62 and the throat barrier 72 to theirinoperative or retracted position. Also, the valve 115 is positioned sothat the vacuum from the vacuum port 108 is connected to the slots 54 inthe throat block 52 and the slots 58 in the picker knife.

If a jam occurs in the machine, the four-way valve 116 and two-way valve115 are immediately actuated either automatically by means for sensingthe jam, or, manually by pressing a valve switch. This connects theconduit 112, 113 and vacuum port 108 to the conduit or port at 100 ofthe diaphragm housing, and the pressure port 110 of the pump to the port102 so as to actuate the diaphragm, and in turn through the linkagearrangement, the elevator 62 and the throat barrier 72. This raises thedeck and prevents the picker knife from engaging the cards. Also, thethroat barriers prevent the cards drifting into the throat and therebydecreases the number of cards involved in the jam.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in theart, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a card feed mechanism, a hopper containing a deck of cards andproviding a throat, a picker knife movable back and forth for normallyfeeding successive cards singly along a defined path and through thethroat, projection means normally retracted out of said path andoperable into such path to shift the deck to a position in which thepicker knife is unable to contact a card and the cards of the deck areout of alignment with the throat thereby to interrupt card feeding,means including a double-acting fluid pressure motor controllingoperation of said projection means, a vacuum source, said picker knifehaving suction ports, and valve means normally positioned to connect thesource to the suction ports to attract the card being fed and alsoconnect the source to one side of said motor to cause the latter tomaintain said projection means in its retracted position, said valvemeans being operable to another position to disestablish suchconnections and connect said source to the opposite side of said motorto actuate said projection means to deck-shifting position.

2. The combination according to claim 1, including additional suctionports provided in the bed of said hopper at the throat, and wherein saidadditional ports are connected to or disconnected from said sourceaccording as said valve means is in its normal position or otherposition respectively.

3. In a mechanism for singly feeding cards from a deck, means includinga back-and-forth moving picker means and a stationary throat definingportions of a card feed path along which the cards normally are advancedsuccessively by said picker means, projection means normally retractedout of said path and movable into said path to shift the deck to aposition in which the cards are out of alignment with the throat andwill not be contacted by said picker means, a vacuum source, meansincluding a fluid pressure motor operatively connected to the projectionmeans for controlling positioning of the projection means, first valvemeans for controlling connection of the source with suction ports in thepicker means and at the throat, second valve means controllingconnection of the source with the motor, and means operativelyconnecting said first and second valve means so that when the secondvalve means is positioned to cause said motor to operatively actuatesaid projection means to deck-shifting position said first valve meanswill be operated to cut off the source from said suction ports.

4. The combination, with a hopper containing a stack of forms andproviding a throat through which forms may be singly fed, of pickermeans movable back and forth to pick the then bottommost form from thestack and feed it through the throat, barrier means and other meansrespectively disposed in proximity of the throat and picker means andnormally concurrently retracted below and out of effective contact withthe stack, actuating means for concurrently elevating said barrier meansand other means into contact with the stack and raising the stack to aposition in which the forms cannot be contacted by the picker means andare out of registry with the throat to positively interrupt suchfeeding, a fluid pressure motor controlling operation of said actuatingmeans, a vacuum source, suction ports in the picker means and in thehopper at the throat to assist in the feeding of such bottommost form,and valve means normally connecting the source to said ports andoperable to a feedinterrupting position to disconnect said source fromsaid ports and connect said source to said motor to actuate the latterto move said acuatiug means to its elevating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS958,764 Pollard May 24, 1910 1,432,032 Novick Oct. 17, 1922 2,151,177Alvine Mar. 21, 1939 2,192,616 Mills Mar. 5, 1940 2,327,172 Carlson Aug.17, 1943 2.705.143 Greenwood Mar. 2 1955

